WASHINGTON — U.S. rail traffic showed a significant volume drop during the week ending Jan. 31 — a week in which severe weather had a significant impact on operations in the Midwest and East.
Statistics from the Association of American Railroads show total U.S. traffic for the week was 434,361 carloads and intermodal units, a decline of 15.5% from the same week a year earlier. That figure included 191,188 carloads, down 14%, and 243,173 intermodal units, down 16.6%.
Through the first four weeks of 2026, the total volume of 1,931,911 carloads and intermodal units is down 0.1% from the same period a year earlier. That includes 863,558 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.4%, and 1,068,353 intermodal units, down 3.5%.
North American volume for the week, as reported by nine U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads, was 292,065 carloads, down 10.2% from the corresponding week in 2025, and 318,595 intermodal units, down 15%. The combined total of 610,660 carloads and intermodal units was a decline of 12.8%. For the year to date, the North American volume of 2,667,190 carloads and intermodal units is a 0.1% increase over the first four weeks of 2025.
In Canada, volume for the week was 87,405 carloads, down 3.1% from the same week a year ago, and 60,594 intermodal units, down 15%. The four-week total for Canada is 622,434 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.6%. Figures for Mexico include 13,472 carloads for the week, up 4% from a year ago, and 14,828 intermodal units, up 25.9%. Mexico’s total through four weeks is 112,845 carloads and intermodal units, up 33.8%.
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